Home / server / Questions / 280489
Accepted
JohnIdol
Asked: 2011-06-15 14:35:30 +0800 CST

How to get password for EC2 Linux instance?

  • 772

I am exploring Amazon EC2.

I created a Linux SUSE instance etc. now I am trying to remote into it from my mac using a VNC client (Chicken of the VNC client): I have the public dns of the instance but I obviously need a password to do so.

I understand I can generate it somehow from my key pair - HOW?

linux amazon-ec2 ssh sles

2 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    All you need is the private part of your keypair. If you didn't set a password when creating the keypair, you don't need to enter one when connecting to your instance.

    You just need to use the private key when connecting via ssh.

    On the command-line:

    ssh -i privatekey.pem [email protected]

    If you're using a GUI like Putty, assign the keyfile before connecting, in:

    Connection | SSH | Auth | Private key file...
    • 4

  2. By default when you spin up EC2 box you have to connect via SSH Keys. The "Key Pair Name" you defined spinning up your sever define the SSH key you need to use to connect to the server initially.

    Unless you defined installing VNC and starting it up in your user script when you created the server you will need to log in via SSH and install VNC.

    If you are on OSX you can open a terminal and run the command

    ssh -i /path/to/amazon/key/pair.pem [email protected]

    I haven't spun up a SUSE box yet but if you don't know the username you can try root.

    • 1